Not only dependents, politicians also want mining to continue

18 Mar 201806:44am IST

18 Mar 201806:44am IST

Report bySANTOSH NAIK

PONDA:Lot is said about mining dependent locals in the mining belt and how their livelihood will be affected, and the mines should be continued without any break.

Though the poor common man depend upon mining by way of their small business, shops, hotels, tire puncture, garages, there also some big tycoons who are involved in this mining business and some have also invested crores of money in this business desperate for mining to be continued.

In Dharbandora, Usgao belt local panchas, and sarpanchas too are have trucks and machineries are now desperate.

According to some locals in Usgao, many top politicians are in this business as they have machinery, barges, and trucks and are running businesses in the name of family members, relatives etc.

Moreover, some government officials were also involved in the business and when government for registration to get monthly relief after closure of mining in 2012, they did not come forward fearing their illegalities and connections in mining business.

A local from Usgao said that around 50 percent locals are mining dependent but the rest who are not related are fed up with trucks plying till late night as mining shuts down.

Over the past week the mining ore transportation time has been extended by truckers and instead of Morning 8 to evening 6 pm, the truckers were plying ore late night and slowly increasing their timing from 6pm to 7 pm and then to 8 pm to 11.30 pm towards the end.